What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is when someone presents another person's words, ideas, or work as their own without giving proper credit. This can include copying text, rephrasing too closely, or failing to reference the original source.

Plagiarism doesn't always mean direct copying - it can also occur when sources are paraphrased or summarised without citation. Even if it's unintentional, it still counts as plagiarism in most academic settings.

To avoid plagiarism, always reference your sources, use quotation marks for direct quotes, and aim to express ideas in your own words while acknowledging where they came from.